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Tip #623: French words Many French words are used in everyday conversation and writing. The way they are spelled often looks different than the way they are pronounced. See the French terms below, along with their pronunciation and meaning. RSVP - Please answer Hors d'oeuvres (or-DERVES) - food for cocktail hour Liaison (lee-ey-ZAWN) - a go-between Roux (roo) - a base for soups Passé (pa-SEY) - outdated, outmoded Résumé (REZ-oo-mey) - a document that shows one's work history Note: Some browsers may not allow you to see the 'e' or the accent marks for passe (accent over the 'e') and resume (accent mark over the first and second 'e'). Examples: The invitation included an RSVP. She hired a chef to create some new hors d'oeuvres. He acted as a liaison between the hospital and the nursing home. Bell bottom jeans are passé. passe (accent over the 'e') Please include your résumé with the job application. resume (accent mark over the first and second 'e') Quiz: Use the correct phrase in the blank: 1. It is a sign of courtesy to respond with an ____________ to an invitation. 2. The ____________ had too many onions, in my opinion. 3. Please include your ____________ with your employment application. 4. Julia Child was never without a ____________ to use in her cooking. 5. Hats and gloves for women are ____________ for fashion statements. 6. In international business relationships, it is often useful to use a translator as a ____________. Vocabulary Word of the Week: Jovial [JOH-vee-ul] (adjective): convivial, cheerful. Example: Sara remembered her aunt as being an easy going, jovial woman. Quotation of the Week: Obstacles cannot bend me. Every obstacle yields to effort. ~ Leonardo DaVinci Quiz Answers: 1. It is a sign of courtesy to respond with an RSVP to an invitation. 2. The hors d’oeuvres had too many onions, in my opinion. 3. Please include your résumé with your employment application. resume (accent mark over the first and second 'e') 4. Julia Child was never without a roux to use in her cooking. 5. Hats and gloves for women are passé for fashion statements. passe (accent over the 'e') 6. In international business relationships, it is often useful to use a translator as a liaison. If you would like to receive the FREE weekly tips by e-mail, contact tips@basic-learning.com and write "Sign Me Up" in the subject line. http://www.basic-learning.com |
Tip #624: Because or due to? "Because of" and "due to" are often used interchangeably. However, they have different requirements. The easiest way to remember the difference is that "due to" means "caused by" and is used in association with any form of the verb "to be." "Because of" modifies a verb and answers the question "why?" If you don't know which phrase to use, "because of" is the better choice. Examples: Her failure was due to her refusal to study. She failed because of her laziness. Quiz Use the correct phrase in the blank: 1. His success was __________ (due to, because of) perfect attendance at meetings. 2. Her leg buckled under her __________ (due to, because of) a torn ligament. 3. Food poisoning is __________ (due to, because of) bacteria that have not been destroyed by cooking. 4. Her bicycle was safe __________ (due to, because of) a sturdy lock and chain. 5. She arrived late __________ (due to, because of) the traffic jam. Vocabulary Word of the Week Concatenate [kon-CAT-en-ate] (verb): to link or connect in a series or chain. Example: If you want to simplify your spreadsheet in MS Excel, you can use the concatenate function. Quotation of the Week: Every exit is an entrance somewhere else. ~Tom Stoppard Quiz Answers: 1. His success was due to perfect attendance at meetings. 2. Her leg buckled under her because of a torn ligament. 3. Food poisoning is often due to bacteria that have not been destroyed by cooking. 4. Her bicycle was safe due to a sturdy lock and chain. 5. She arrived late because of the traffic jam. If you would like to receive the FREE weekly tips by e-mail, contact tips@basic-learning.com and write "Sign Me Up" in the subject line. http://www.basic-learning.com |
Tip #625: E-mail E-mail can be a wonderful means of communication, but it can also lead to miscommunication. More than half of the 26,000 who responded to a Yahoo survey said they had difficulty interpreting the meaning of e-mails. Keep in mind the following points regarding e-mail: 1. It is a limited means of communication. A great deal of how we perceive others is based upon non-verbal communication, which is non-existent in e-mail. E-mail deprives the recipient of being able to observe facial expressions and gestures. Voice inflection, which helps us interpret messages, is also missing in e-mail communication. Lacking complete information, the recipient may be left to interpret what the sender's true feelings are, instead of knowing what they are. 2. Limit the list of recipients to those who really need to be included. Copying too many people only serves to slow down communication. Employees feel they have to send a response, especially if the sender is their superior. If the e-mail will initiate several rounds of back-and-forth messages, consider holding a brief conference call or meeting instead. 3. The most appropriate use of e-mail is for delivering factual messages, such as "The meeting will be held in Conference Room B at 2 p.m. on Friday, September 17th." When dealing with sensitive issues or motivating others, use face-to-face communication. Quiz
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